POPE BACKS CIVIL UNION LAWS FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES

Pope Francis has declared support for civil unions for same-sex couples for the first time, according to the Catholic News Agency (CAN), Delia Gallagher and Nicole Chavez reported.

The Pope made the historic remarks in "Francesco," a new documentary film directed by Russian filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky, that premiered at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday.

"Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They're children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it," the Pope said in the film, CAN reported. "What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered," the Pope said.

Francis has suggested in past interviews that he is not against civil unions, but this is the first time as Pope that he has directly come out in favor of them. As Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis advocated for same-sex civil unions as an alternative when Argentina was discussing whether to legalize same-sex marriage. Francis' comments differ from his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who made the news when he labeled homosexuality "an intrinsic moral evil." Jesuit Father James Martin, who has advocated for the church to welcome LGBTQ people, said bishops from many countries, including some in the United States and Poland, who are "violently against" civil unions will have to rethink their positions.